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They are ready to help you get the support you need.

WHAT SHOULD I DO IF I AM WORRIED ABOUT PAYING MY MORTGAGE? 

It’s important to contact your lender straight away if you think you might have difficulty making your mortgage repayments. The sooner you get in touch with them the better. 

This includes if you are coming to the end of your fixed-rate mortgage deal.  

Don’t wait until you have missed a payment to contact your lender, they are ready to help even if you are up to date with your payments. The earlier you contact your lender, the more options they will have available and the sooner they will be able to help. 

Lenders have trained and experienced staff who can help you consider the different options available and find one that is most appropriate for your specific circumstances. 

Simply contacting your mortgage, lender to find out what options are available, will not impact your credit score, but missing your payments will.  

WHAT CAN MY LENDER DO TO HELP? 

Lenders offer a wide range of tailored support to anyone struggling with their mortgage payments.  

This could mean extending your mortgage term to reduce your payments, a temporary switch to interest only payments, or a range of other options like a temporary payment deferral, or reduced monthly payments for a period of time. Your lender will advise you on the best option for you depending on your circumstances. 

AM I ELIGIBLE FOR HELP UNDER THE MORTGAGE CHARTER? 

Signatories to the Mortgage Charter have agreed that customers who are up to date with their payments can: 

• switch to interest-only payments for six months or 

• extend their mortgage term to reduce their monthly payments and have the option to revert to their original term within 6 months by contacting their lender.  

In addition, lenders signed up to the charter have committed: 

• That customers approaching the end of a fixed rate deal will have the chance to lock in a deal up to six months ahead. They will also be able to manage their new deal and request a better like for like deal with their lender right up until their new term starts, if one is available. 

• A borrower will not be forced to leave their home without their consent unless in exceptional circumstances, in less than a year from their first missed payment.  

Forty three mortgage lenders have agreed to support customers as part of the government’s new Mortgage Charter. You can find out which lenders have signed up to the Mortgage Charter here.

HOW DO I CONTACT MY LENDER? 

You can contact your lender by visiting their website. There is a list of lenders and their websites at the end of this page. 

Please visit your lender’s website in the first instance, where you will find more details about the support available. 

You can also contact your lender on the telephone and in branch.    

WHAT INFORMATION WILL MY LENDER NEED? 

Your lender will need some details to help identify you and your account. It would be useful to have your account number to hand when you contact them. This can be found on your monthly or annual statements, any letters you have received from your lender, or in your ‘account overview’ if you bank online.  

Your lender may also ask you some questions about your income and outgoings to understand your financial circumstances, so it would also be helpful to have these handy before you make the call.